Health and Safety

Protecting persons at work and members of the public

Health and safety legislation and enforcement aims to protect the health, safety and welfare of people at work, and to safeguard others, mainly members of the public, who may be exposed to risks from the way work is carried out.

Primary responsibility for health and safety in the workplace lies with employers, employees and the self-employed, who are responsible for managing and controlling risks. These are generally referred to as 'duty holders'.